Mel's book - Hard copy vs. E-book

I realized a while ago that I had misplaced my copy of ANSFG 2nd just in time for spring (grrr!!).  Well, I noticed that if you bought the hard copy from Amazon, you may purchase the e-book for $2.99 instead of the normal $12.99.  For me, this makes for a more permanent source for the book (especially since the book is stored in Amazon's cloud for downloading to any compatible device).

One thing of significance about the e-book though:  The book does not contain actual page numbers.  Often folks posting here will refer to a specific page number, and that won't help if you are using the e-book.

Windmere wrote:
One thing of significance about the e-book though:  The book does not contain actual page numbers.  Often folks posting here will refer to a specific page number, and that won't help if you are using the e-book.

As one who quotes the book, it's a good thing to keep in mind for e-bookers.

What people normally do for e-books is cite the location number, but that only helps other e-book readers, and vice-versa when people cite page numbers. It's a true limitation of both forms.

What I would really like best of all is both print and e-book versions. That's what I've gotten for some few things I wanted to study and to be able to reference especially well. I find e-books far easier and much, much quicker to read, but the ability to find and write notes on material is much slower and more cumbersome on an e-book.

One day I do want to put together a set of ultimate references together on a nice big color tablet, though. Books on bugs and plant diseases and weeds, as well as wild and cultivated varieties of plants of all types, with great big sharp pictures for identification, in e-books that are especially well-organized and easy to search through quickly. Take it all down to the garden in a package that only weighs a pound.

I like the hard copy best because I write notes in the margins, recording frost dates, germination rates, etc...

I also prefer the hard copy of gardening books because of notes in margins, etc.  I also find it more convenient when referring to it while in the garden (plus I don't need to envelop it in plastic to protect e-book reader electronics).

However, being able to read at night with a back lit e-book, and not disturb my sleeping wife, is a definite plus for me.  Since I pretty much always know where my Kindle is, I'm pretty sure not to lose it (famous last words?).  In any case, an e-book usually can be downloaded to a computer for reading as well, so there is an extra back up with that method.

It is possible for e-books to have actual page numbers, but in looking at ANSFG 2nd, I can see that formatting issues would prevent including actual page numbers.

 

Marc Iverson wrote:What people normally do for e-books is cite the location number, but that only helps other e-book readers, and vice-versa when people cite page numbers.  It's a true limitation of both forms.

What I would really like best of all is both print and e-book versions.  That's what I've gotten for some few things I wanted to study and to be able to reference especially well.   I find e-books far easier and much, much quicker to read, but the ability to find and write notes on material is much slower and more cumbersome on an e-book.

One day I do want to put together a set of ultimate references together on a nice big color tablet, though. Books on bugs and plant diseases and weeds, as well as wild and cultivated varieties of plants of all types, with great big sharp pictures for identification, in e-books that are especially well-organized and easy to search through quickly.  Take it all down to the garden in a package that only weighs a pound.

Mark, I would like t do the same.  I thought about what you said, and I wanted to share with you a link to best selling free Amazon gardening e-books.  The list changes all the time, so keep referring to this link to find more every day.  Also, be sure the price is zero before you "buy" because sometimes a book remains on the list, but the purchase section on the description page has changed to a "paid" figure.

http://www.amazon.com/Best-Sellers-Kindle-Store-Gardening-Horticulture/zgbs/digital-text/156828011/ref=zg_bs_nav_kstore_3_156699011?_encoding=UTF8&tf=1

Certainly not all these books are very good, but occasionally you find some gems.

UPDATE 2:46 P.M. - My wife just found my paperback book. 

Thanks, Windmere. It hadn't occurred to me to look for gardening books that way on Amazon.

Just a heads-up to you and others -- I got the SFG answer book last week for I think $2.99, so even Mel's books go on sale sometimes.